Table of contents
Glycemia definition and measurementGlucose units – how does our blood sugar converter work?Normal blood sugarHow do I keep my blood sugar normal?FAQsThis blood sugar converter or blood sugar calculator helps you easily interpret your glucose levels in venous blood by switching between the international standard mmol/L and the popular mg/dL glucose units. If you're confused about:
- What is glycemia;
- What hypoglycemia is;
- What is hyperglycemia;
- What is considered a normal blood sugar level; or
- What's the glycemia definition, read on!
Additionally, you will learn more about how our blood sugar converter works.
If you feel that your blood sugar level grew a lot after eating too many donuts, don't worry – check how to burn those calories with our donut calculator. It can help you to learn more about how many calories a day you need.
Glycemia definition and measurement
🙋 Glycemia means precisely the presence of glucose in one's blood, but the term also refers to the concentration of glucose in the blood.
The analysis is most accurate in venous blood serum, as glucose in capillary blood used by popular glucose meters tends to grow significantly higher after meals.
What is hypoglycemia – it refers to a condition where a person's blood sugar levels fall below that which persons in the medical profession consider normal range.
- In healthy people glycemia below 2.8 mmol/L (50 mg/dL), in people with diabetes levels below 3.9 mmol/L (70 mg/dL).
What is normoglycemia – this term refers to a situation where a doctor considers a person's blood sugar level to be normal.
- The so-called normal blood sugar level is between 2.8 mmol/L and 5.5 mmol/L (50 to 100 mg/dL) and 3.9 and 5.5 mmol/L (70 to 100 mg/dL) for diabetics.
What is hyperglycemia – is a situation where the glucose in the blood is above what a doctor considers the normal range.
- Medical professionals consider sugar levels higher than 11.1 mmol/l (200 mg/dl) to be hyperglycemic.
Glucose units – how does our blood sugar converter work?
There are two ways of presenting glucose concentration in the blood. The international standard way of measuring blood glucose levels is in terms of a molar concentration, measured in mmol/L (millimoles per liter; or millimolar, mM for short). In the United States and continental Europe, we predominantly measure mass concentration in mg/dL (milligrams per decilitre).
The conversion between the glucose units is straightforward. we base it on the fact that:
1 mmol/L = 18 mg/dL
However, calculating it in your head can be a bit overwhelming. Our blood sugar calculator solves this problem for you😉.
Simply choose the unit of measurement your glucose level is available in. Enter your blood glucose level into the blood sugar converter. Choose the unit you would like to have it converted to, and you are done!
Your blood glucose level is now available in the units of your choice😃.
Normal blood sugar
In healthy people, the body's homeostatic mechanism of blood sugar regulation restores the blood sugar level to a range of about 4.4 to 6.1 mmol/L (79 to 110 mg/dL). The blood glucose level may rise temporarily after meals, in non-diabetics, up to 7.8 mmol/L (140 mg/dL).
According to the American Diabetes Association, the blood glucose target range for diabetics should be 5.0 to 7.2 mmol/l (90 to 130 mg/dL) before meals and less than 10 mmol/L (180 mg/dL) after meals.
If you have high glucose levels, do not hesitate to also check our cholesterol ratio calculator!
With our walking calorie calculator, you can estimate how many calories your body burns when you're walking. You can also use our maintenance calorie calculator to determine how many calories your body needs to maintain your current weight.
How do I keep my blood sugar normal?
To keep your blood sugar normal:
Eat healthily. Focus on complex carbohydrates (dark bread, brown rice, groats), fiber (vegetables, legumes), healthy fats (plant oils, oily fish, nuts), and a good source of protein (legumes, fish, skim dairy, lean meat).
Don’t overeat. If you’re overweight – lose the extra kilos. Unnecessary fat deposits increase the risk of diabetes, as fat tissues can release hormones.
Move a lot. Try not to sit longer than 30 minutes at once. Even a one-minute walking break is valuable.
Forget about smoking.
Minimize your alcohol intake. Choose dry red wine over beer, sweet wines, and colorful drinks.
Maintain good sleep hygiene. Try to sleep at least 7 hours every night.
Learn how to manage your stress. Stress induces certain hormone production, which can lead to high blood sugar levels.
If your physician tells you you’re in a prediabetes state, consider it a call to action. It’s your last chance to escape diabetes in the future, and it’s possible. It's all is in your hands.
If you are concerned about your blood glucose level, please consult your physician as soon as possible.
How do I convert American blood sugar to Canadian?
To convert American blood sugar units to Canadian:
- Take the American value (in mg/dL – milligrams per deciliter).
- Divide it by 18.
- Change the units to mmol/L (millimoles per liter).
How do I convert Canadian blood sugar levels to American?
To convert Canadian blood sugar units to American:
- Take the Canadian value (it's in mmol/L – millimoles per liter).
- Multiply it by 18.
- Change the units to mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter).
Can sugar convert to alcohol in the bloodstream?
No, sugar cannot convert to alcohol in your bloodstream. Humans lack the specific enzymes that are necessary for alcoholic fermentation to happen.
What units are used to measure blood glucose?
The most popular units used in the measurement of blood glucose are:
- Milligrams per deciliter; and
- Millimoles per liter.
They can differ not only between countries but sometimes even between a country's regions. It’s important to know what units your laboratory uses so you don’t get confused.
